Angelo Lewis
“Professor Hoffmann”
LATEST MAGIC
BEING
ORIGINAL CONJURING TRICKS
INVENTED AND ARRANGED
BY
PROFESSOR HOFFMANN
(ANGELO LEWIS, M.A.)
Author of “Modern Magic,” etc.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS
First Edition
NEW YORK
SPON & CHAMBERLAIN, 120 Liberty St.
1918
Copyright, 1918
By SPON & CHAMBERLAIN
CAMELOT PRESS, 226-228 WILLIAM ST., NEW YORK, U. S. A.
TO
J. N. MASKELYNE, ESQ.
FOREMOST OF ENGLISH MAGICIANS,
AND
Fearless Exposer of Falsehood and Fraud
This Book is Dedicated
BY
His Friend and Admirer,
THE AUTHOR
PREFACE
The tricks described in the following pages areof my own invention, and for the most part are entirelynew departures: not only the effects produced,but the appliances by means of which theyare produced, being original.
From the nature of the case, it follows that fewof the items described have been submitted to thesupreme test of performance in public, but all havebeen thoroughly thought out; most of the root-ideashaving in fact been simmering in my mindfor more than two years past. One or two of themmay demand a more than average amount of addresson the part of the performer; but the majorityare comparatively easy, and I believe I mayassert with confidence that all will be found bothpracticable and effective. Should any of my modestinventions be found, as is not improbable, susceptibleof further polish, the keen wits and readyfingers of my brother wizards may safely betrusted to supply it.
The items entitled The Mystery of Mahomet,The Bewildering Blocks, and The Wizard’s[viii]Pocket-book, have been described in the columns ofan English magical serial, but have never appearedin book shape, and are by special desire, includedin the present volume.
A final word on a personal matter. Had I beenprophet, as well as magician, when I first beganto write on conjuring, I should have chosen a differentpen-name. In the light of later events, myselection was unfortunate. My identity has longbeen an open secret, but as I cannot flatter myselfthat it is universally known, I take this opportunityto assure all whom it may concern that I amBritish to the backbone.
Louis Hoffmann.